Former England captain Michael Vaughan has questioned Ben Stokes’ decision to field first in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, on a beautiful day. It turned out to be a good toss to lose for India, who finished Day 1 with 359 for 3. Stokes’ call backfired, as centuries from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill (his first as captain) enabled the tourists establish a strong position in their series opener against England.
Vaughan believes it is critical to bat first at Headingley when the sun shines and the weather is dry. He emphasised the necessity of making judgements in the present moment rather than reflecting on events from the past.
“I am an old-school traditionalist in Leeds who believes that when the sun shines and the weather is dry, you should bat. I was taken aback when he claimed he was going to bowl. Traditions are out the window. Vaughan told BBC Test Match Special that you have to make judgements based on the situation at hand, rather than things you did years ago.
Vaughan stated that England’s strength lay in its batting, while the bowling department is inexperienced, with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood recovering from injuries behind the scenes and Stuart Broad and James Anderson retiring.
When Ben Stokes won the toss, the Three Lions bowled first in eight of their nine home Tests.
England had six wins while bowling first. However, Vaughan believes that prior records should not be considered at all times.
“You always have to make your decisions in the moment. And not what you did here years ago or at other times. It cannot influence the decision made today. When you look at the England team, their batting strength is evident. And there is inexperience in bowling right now. Ben certainly had a gut intuition, and it occasionally succeeded,” he added.
You look at the surface and decide on what you believe will give you the best chance. Tim Southee
Tim Southee, a former New Zealand Test captain and current England fast-bowling guru, tried to explain why he chose to field first. He stated that the greenish colour of the surface and the early morning wetness persuaded the England squad that bowling first was the best option.
“With the colour of the wicket yesterday and a little bit of moisture remained in it, if there was any help, it would most likely be this morning. That was the rationale for the choice. You examine the surface and decide on what you believe will give you the best chance. “You don’t always get it right,” Southee remarked after Day 1 of play.
New Indian Test skipper Shubman Gill (127*) and his deputy Rishabh Pant (65*) will look to pile on England’s misery when they resume batting on Day 2.
India
